Madam Aba Oppong, Board Chairman of the Rights and Responsibilities Initiatives Ghana (RRIG), an NGO dedicated to the welfare of children, said they should not be pushed into doing anything hazardous.

She was speaking at a forum held at Sanso in the Bekwai Municipality to celebrate this year’s World Day against child labour.  The theme chosen for the event was “Impact of conflict and disaster on child labour”.

In attendance were officials from the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), the Ghana Education Service (GES), National Youth Authority (NYA), traditional and religious leaders, child protection committees and school children.

Madam Oppong said the right place for the child was the school – to pursue academic careers that would make their lives meaning to the society. They should be shown love, care and affection to make them feel safe and secured, adding that, all must accept to work together to safeguard the rights of children.

Those who abused, trafficked or engaged them in any harmful work, should be reported to the appropriate state institutions for action.   Madam Priscilla Osei-Assibey, the Municipal Director for CHRAJ, advised parents not to force children to perform tasks they lacked the physical strength and energy to do.

Carrying or lifting heavy loads, she added could make them to become stunted.

Madam Faustina Osei Prempeh, the Executive Director of RRIG, rallied everybody to join the fight to stop child labour.